Virtual Reality Headsets Competition Heats Up

Oculus, HTC Vive and Samsung Gear may be dominating today’s virtual reality headset market, but the competition is getting stiffer each day.According to a recent study of 22 VR devices with built-in displays on the market, Oculus Rift ranked at the top but emerging devices such as Sulon Q and Star VR are on the rise. Similarly, across 65 smartphone-based VR headsets, Samsung Gear still grabbed the most attention but was overshadowed in ease of use by Pinch VR and in display by Freefly VR.The study was carried by the Lux Research Group and published as a report titled “Virtual Reality Heats-up: Why Oculus Rift and Samsung VR’s Days on Top Are Numbered” “Next-gen smartphone-based VR headsets such as Google’s Daydream will focus on better ergonomic design while innovative new headsets will tap augmented reality and ‘untethered-ness,’” said Tony Sun, Lux Research Analyst and lead author of the report.

Lux Research analysts evaluated 87 headsets on the market across 40 use cases. Here is what they found:Oculus still in front. Oculus VR remains the best device for full immersion needs, followed closely by HTC Vive, while Ant VR is the best-priced. But all three are wired — limiting movement and adoption — and may face competition from devices such as Sulon Q and StarVR, both of which offer a wider field of vision.Freefly VR is popular for its low price. For gamers, as well as for sports training and retail, Freefly VR is popular due to its low price. Other products include Sony PlayStation VR and Avegant Glyph.Samsung Gear VR is ideal for demos. For demonstration and exhibition, Samsung Gear VR is the best balanced option. But the $99 device may face threats from Google’s Daydream, which is expected to bring major improvements in ergonomics, and other wireless devices.